Drop dispenser and container



July 23, 1957 E. HENDERSON DROP DISPENSER AND ,CONTAINER Filed Oct. 7, 1952 INVENTOR Qin/ard KfW/:fam

BY (5l/K2, am! 12ML.

ATTO RN EYS DRP DISPENSER AND CONTAINER Edward Henderson, Montclair, N. J.

Application ctober 7, 1952, Serial No. 313,497

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-209) l l This invention relates to an improved dispenser and container for use in dispensing liquids in drop form.

It is necessary or desirable to dispense certain'liquid products in drop form. Thus, certain medicinal, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products must be used in the form or quantity of one or more drops. Dispensers of various types have been provided for the purpose of dispensing liquids in drop form. However, the dispensers of this type, heretofore provided, had certain disadvantages. Thus, they were sensitive in operation and required skill or care on the part of the operator or the liquid would be dispensed in the form of a steady stream, instead of a drop, or they were `complicated and clumsy in structure, or expensive and difficult to manufacture.

It is aan object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages and difliculties heretofore encountered and to provide 4an improved dispenser or` container whereby liquids can readily be discharged in the form of one or a plurality of drops and in which the plurality of drops will not-merge together into a steady stream, regardless of the lack of skill or care of the operator.

v Afurther object isthe provision of an improved -dispenser orcontainer-of the above type for dispensing liquids in drop form which is of simple, inexpensiveconstruction and canA beA readily operated `byfunskilled or untrained operators. 'f A Myinventionis equally applicable to containers or to separate dispensing devices. ItV contemplates the provisionofa discharge ,nozzle or outlet having a restricted opening vfollowed by an expansion chamber so that as the liquid passes through the restricted opening into the expansion chamber the release in pressure causes it to form into drops. The expansion chamber communicates with a.' discharge orifice at least substantially as large in crosssectional area as the expansion chamber thereby- .preventing further increases in pressure and insuring that the liquid will remain inr drop'for'm whendispensed.l

My invention also contemplates the provision of an improved dropper assembly in which the pipette may incorporate my improved dispensing` mechanism, Aand in which -the cap and bulb are `formedin one-piece and are provided witlrnovel couplingand 'sealing means.

In theqaccornpanying drawingi, f p

Figal Yis' a'rperspective view of the upper endr of a containei or dispensing device embodying my invention'L with |a closure cap applied to the vdischargev nozzle; n

"-'Fig 2 is a cross-sectional view'in the direction ofthe arrows'on-the line-2 2 of Fig; l; Y

` Fig. 3 isa sectional elevational View of the upper end of'zaniodiiied form of container or dispensingl device which the .discharge nozzle isinitially insealed'or closed form;

Fig. 4 is `a sectional elevational view of the upper end of a further modified form of container having my improved drop forming dispensing mechanism incorporated in the neck portion thereof;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a further modified form of container in which my improved drop forming dispensing nited States atent vO 2,860,253 Patented July 23, 1957- ice mechanism is embodied in a separate dispensing nozzle applied to the container; and l Fig. 6 is a sectional elevational view of an improved type of dropper assembly embodying my improved drop forming dispensing mechanism.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown my invention as applied to a container for liquids in the form of a compressible or collapsible tube 7. The container may be made of any suitable material for compressible or collapsible tubes which will hold liquids and will not be adversely aected thereby. For this purpose I have found that iiexible. plastic materials such as polyethylene are very suitable.

The upper end of the tube is provided with a nozzle 8 fork dispensing the contents. Thus, when the tube is compressed the contents will be discharged or expelled through the nozzle. provide a baiiie or Wall 9 having a restricted passage 10.` The inside of the nozzle beyond the restricted passage 10 is in the form of an enlarged cross-sectional area then the area of the passage. Thus, when the liquid contents of the container are expelled by compressing the tube, the liquid passes through the passage under relatively high pressure and the pressure is released in the expansion chamber with the result that the liquid forms into a drop or` drops.

The outer end of the nozzleterminates in a dispensingA o'riiiceA which is at least equal in cross-sectional area to the cross-sectional area of the expansion chamber.

In other words, beyondlthe expansion chamber there is noV further -restricted zone which would cause the liquid to reform into a continuous stream.

When the device is not in use the nozzle may be closed by a suitable cap 12 which iits snugly over the nozzle andmay be providedwith a plug portion 13 which lits into the Vdispensing orilice of the nozzle to provide a further seal for the, closure cap.

AIn using the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 it will beappreci'a'ted thatthe compressible tube has first been filled witha liquid which is to be expelled in drop form. The cap 12 is removed, the container is inverted and the compressible tube isl compressed suiciently to force liquidv through the restricted aperture 10 until one or more drops,y as desired, are dispensed from the nozzle. By increasingthat shown in the first two figures, with the exception thatthe replaceable cap is eliminated from the nozzle and the nozzle is originally provided with an integral closure,"

which is cut or `torn from the end of the nozzle. Thus, Fig. 3 showsa ycompressible or collapsible tube 7 having arestricted outlet passage 10 formed in baie 9 communieating with enlarged expansion chamber 11 provided in nozzle 8. The end of the nozzle is closed by an integral cap 15 which may be cut or otherwise severed from the end of the nozzle when it is desired to dispense the contents of the container. ToA facilitate the severing of the cap I may provide a weakened or grooved line 16 extending around the upper end of the nozzle at the point of severance.

- In'Fig. 4 I have illustrated my invention as applied to Between the tube and the nozzle IA or closure may be applied. In the neck portion I provide a plug or fitting 19 having .a central aperture-formed with a restricted passage portion 20 and an outwardly aring expansion chamber 21. The expansion chamber terminates in dispensing orifice .22 which it willheiseen. is -lat least Yas vlarge (inV this instance larger) ,in crosssectional area as the cross-sectional area of the expansion charnb'er. The bottletype of container 17 shown in Fig. 4 is v'used in the same manner as the other vforms o f my invention, namely, it isinverte'd iafter the eapisremoved andthe body of the container is compressed to cause liquid to be forced outwardly through restricted passage 20 into `the expansion chamber where it forms into one or more drops.l

Infig. I have shown a further modication of my invention vin which my Vimproved dropV dispensing mechanism'fornis part of a separate .hood or nozzle applied tothe top of :a bottle-like container. Thus, I have shown a bottle type of container 23preferably made Vof suitable fleXiblernaterial such as polyethylene.

VVThe upper end of the container has an externally threaded neckw24 to which a nozzle type of .tting 251s applied. This tting has an internallyV threaded hood portion `26 fitted to the neck of the bottle, a ,spout ,or nozzle 27 projecting `from the centerthereof and a central bale wall 28 through which restricted passage 29 extends. Inside thenozrjzle and communicating with the upper end of passage 29 is the enlarged expansion'chamber ,30 which terminates in the dispensing orifice 31 which againis at least equal in cross-sectional area to the cross-sectional area o f the expansion chamber. If desired, the nozzle shown in Eig. 5 may be provided with a removable closure such as shown at 12 in Figs. 1 and 2, or with an integral cap such as shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated my invention as applied to a dropper assembly consisting of a separate pipette 32 releasably tted or connected to a unitary cap and bulb assembly 33. The unitary 4cap and bulb .assembly 33 arepreferably molded in one-piece from suitable flexible material which can withstand the liquid to .be dispensed, such as polyethylene- The bulb portion 34 is .made .of relatively thinner, more llexiblc, material ,so that it can be readily compressed fornlling and ,for dispensing purposes, while Ythe cap'polticn 35 is .made of Arelatively thicker material and is, accordingly, incre rigid- The cap is provided vwith .a depending apron which is preferably internally threaded vso that i t may be threaded to ,the neck of a bottle." A collar or ange 37 concentric with the apron .36" and 'also' concentric with the side walls of conlprcssible bulb 34 depends downwardly aronndtheccntral portion of the cap.V

The collar or tlange's adapted Ato .receive thc upper end of pipette 3.2 so as .to hold the'pfarts in assembled relationship.j This may be accomplished trictionally or. -by meansof coupling mechanism,snch as the internal threads on the flange and the external' threads-on the pipette as shown. When the upper end of Athe pipette is-coupled with the inside offlange or collar 3,7 it will be seen 'that the pipette communicates directly with the interior of bulb 34 so that liquid may' be drawn upwardly, or dispensed through the'pipette, Vupon expansion or vcompression of bulb 34.

The pipette is made of suitable materialsuch as glass, or such as polyethylene which has the advantage that it will not break when it is'dropped. Inside the pipette I providea baffle wall 38, preferably positioned a short distance above the lower end thereof and formed with a restricted passage 39 to permit pressure to be built up in the liquid when the bulb is compressed. An enlarged expansion chamber 40 communicates with the lower end kof the restricted passage39 and the expansion chamber,

in turn, terminates in the dispensing orifice 41 which is at least as large in cross-sectional area as the expansion chamber.

The dropper assembly is used in the usual manner. Thus, the dispensing orice is rst inserted in the liquid to be dispensed and bulb 34iscompressed and then expanded so as to cause the liquid to be forced upwardly inside the pipette by atmospheric pressure. When it is desired to dispense liquid therefrom the bulb is again compressed with the result that liquid in the pipette, above baille wall 38, is'tforced ,through restricted passage 39 under relatively high pressure. When the liquid reaches the expansion chamber there is an immediate pressure drop, with the result that it forms into one or more drops.

The ange or collar 37 forms a convenient coupling for releasably securing the pipette to the unitary cap and bulb assembly. The Ycollar or flange 37 alsoforms an4 additional seal and vis made in a size to vvengage Ythe innerv surface ofthe ,bottle neckY to which .the dropper assembly is applied. lThus Athe `closing or sealing of the eontainer'is not ydependent lllplltlzie apron and top ,of-the,

, cap ,alone lbutadditional sealing is obtainedthroughthe aiQIl yof the'eollar yor ange 37.

Making vthe bulb and cap in one-piece simplifies 4the construction, assembly and use of the device. AIt .also prevents the .bulb from adhering tothe top of ,the bottle When'the cap Vis*unscrewe'cl, as frequently happens with the `standard threefpiece dropper assembly.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an improved dispenser or container whereby liquids can be readily ldispensed in one or aplurality of ldrops and in which the plurality of drops will lnot merge together into Va steady stream regardless of lack of skill or vcare ofthe operator.

.'I have also provided a ,dispenser or container of .the above typewhich is simple, inexpensive and can be Vreadily operated by unskilled or untrained operators.

'Modifications may be made in the illustrated and dbscnbed ,embodiment or my .invention ,without departing from the iugention as set forth in the accompanying claim.

An limproved dispensing device for dispensing :liquids in drop form comprising a cap member surmounted by a compressible bulb, and a pipette secured to the `undersurface of the cap and communicating with .the interior ofthe bulb, said pipette having a bae Wall formed with arestricted pressure passage extending therethrough and an Venlarged expansion chamber ,communicating with .the outer end of .the .pressure passage and terminating lin `va discharge cringe at least as large in cross-sectional are as the` espansion chamber.

References Cited the le of this patent UNITED ys rnxriss PATENTS 

